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TURF DIARY JUNE 9, 2009 In this issue, we'll identify the divisional leader pro tempore, recap the notable stakes action, highlight a couple of significant allowances, and take stock of the emerging three-year-olds. Staking a claim: Although the season is only just beginning to heat up, GIO PONTI (Tale of the Cat) has made a compelling case for divisional leadership at this stage. By following up his rousing victory in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) with another impressive score in Saturday's Manhattan H. (G1), the Christophe Clement pupil ranks as the only two-time Grade 1 winner on the American turf so far in 2009. Even more notably, Gio Ponti displayed a high-class turn of foot to defeat strong fields, on opposite coasts, in completely contrasting conditions. While the Kilroe Mile was contested on the firm turf at Santa Anita, the Manhattan was a 1 1/4-mile affair on yielding ground at Belmont Park, but those were distinctions without a difference to Gio Ponti. The bay was content to trail the 12-horse field at Belmont, as many as 14 lengths adrift of the battling leaders. Just two or three spots ahead of him was his archrival COURT VISION (Gulch), who had defeated Gio Ponti over the same inner turf in last year's Jamaica H. (G2). Turning for home, however, it became clear which one was traveling the better of the two. Court Vision was under a drive as he improved his position, but Gio Ponti was still on hold for a confident Garrett Gomez. Just as he had done over a much shorter trip in Southern California, Gio Ponti swooped late to conquer. He blasted past Court Vision as if he were standing still, and then handed out the same perfunctory treatment to MARSH SIDE (Gone West), flashing past the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front. Marsh Side ran a winning race himself, and deserves extra credit as a 1 1/2-mile type dropping in trip. Making his first start back since his creditable fifth in the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1), the Neil Drysdale charge was well placed in sixth early, delivered what appeared to be a perfectly-timed move to strike the front inside the final furlong, and was just outfinished by a superior animal. Marsh Side held second by 1 1/4 lengths from the 10-year-old BETTER TALK NOW (Talkin Man), who rallied from far back in his finest performance since last summer. Court Vision was a one-paced fourth. The Gio Ponti-Court Vision rivalry is all knotted up now at two-and-two. Could Court Vision have been at a disadvantage on the yielding turf Saturday? It's quite likely, considering that he was a distant fourth on a soggy course in last year's Colonial Turf Cup (G3). On the other hand, going into the Manhattan, I thought Gio Ponti would have been unsuited by the going himself, yet he simply skipped over the bog. Even if Court Vision were adversely affected by the ground, it must be remembered that Gio Ponti was luckless in their last meeting in the Hollywood Derby (G1), where he was smothered and never saw daylight (or twilight on that November evening). Turnabout's fair play in these rivalries. I would go further and contend that Gio Ponti has improved this season, either from natural maturation, or because he is settling farther back off the pace, or both. Let's hope that there's a Round Five between these two. Still steaming along: MIDSHIPS (Mizzen Mast) continued his stranglehold on the Southern California scene with a convincing victory in Saturday's Charles Whittingham Memorial H. (G1) at Hollywood, proving two things: that he is no need-the-lead type, and that he is just as effective at 1 1/4 miles as he is at upwards of 1 1/2 miles. The Juddmonte Farms homebred was initially not too happy with conceding the early lead to Liquidity (Tiznow), but Victor Espinoza soon got Midships on board with the plan, and he took up a stalking role in second. The gray threw down the gauntlet turning for home, with defending champion ARTISTE ROYAL (Ire) (Danehill) ranging up alongside and MADEO (Mizzen Mast) in hot pursuit. Neither could live with Midships' sparkling acceleration as he kicked clear, adding his first Grade 1 title to a resume that includes scores in the San Luis Rey H. (G2) and San Juan Capistrano Invitational H. (G2) in his past two. GLOBETROTTER (Street Cry [Ire]) was the only late threat, rallying smartly to get to within a half-length at the wire. By closing into the teeth of Midships' potent final quarter in :23, Globetrotter stamped himself as one to follow. The John Sadler trainee has ample scope for improvement. The four-year-old was making just his third start back from a 16-month layoff, and his entire career spans a grand total of six races. Globetrotter compiled a two-for-three mark as a juvenile, garnering the 2007 Grey S. (Can-G3), so he has shown ability from the beginning. He was receiving five pounds from Midships in the Whittingham, and he may have profited from an arguably premature move by Artiste Royal, who wound up third, but it was still a most encouraging Grade 1 debut. Madeo flattened out to finish a well-beaten fourth, and I'd expect to see him stick to nine furlongs or less from this point forward. Midships has the luxury of staying in Southern California right through to the Breeders' Cup, if he wants to, with an entire program catering to the long-distance turf set. Unless a heavyweight import turns up on this circuit over the summer, the Bobby Frankel charge looks to have a string of graded events at his mercy. Moon rising? One such heavyweight could be fellow Juddmonte campaigner SPANISH MOON (El Prado [Ire]), who was narrowly denied by Eastern Anthem (Singspiel [Ire]) in the Dubai Sheema Classic, defeating the globetrotting Purple Moon (Galileo [Ire]) and two-time Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) and Coronation Cup (Eng-G1) runner-up Youmzain (Sinndar). Spanish Moon was supposed to return in the May 2 Jockey Club S. (Eng-G2) at Newmarket. After acting up at the gate and refusing to enter the stalls, he was officially scratched and then banned from racing in Great Britain for six months. "We'll just have to take him to countries where they want him," Juddmonte Racing Manager Teddy Grimthorpe told Racing Post. Spanish Moon would be a logical candidate to resurface with Frankel. In light of his victory in the Floodlit S. on Kempton's Polytrack last fall, and his aptitude on firm turf, he would find a wealth of opportunities in Southern California. Back on song: The speedy THORN SONG (Unbridled's Song) had been mired in a downward spiral in his last four outings, but the Dale Romans trainee was back to his very best in the Shoemaker Mile (G1) at Hollywood on Memorial Day. Blazing straight to the front in his usual take-no-prisoners style, the gray set a legitimate pace, but instead of fading, he stuck to his guns through a protracted stretch battle. Thorn Song showed admirable heart to fight off HYPERBARIC (Sky Classic) by a head in a blanket finish, with STORM MILITARY (Arg) (Bernstein) another neck away in third and a game WHATSTHESCRIPT (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]) a further neck back in fourth. The Shoemaker Four all ran their guts out. Hyperbaric never flinched in his first race back from Dubai, where he was drubbed in 14th in the Duty Free (UAE-G1). Of the beaten brigade, Whatsthescript's effort was especially meritorious, not necessarily because he was making his seasonal reappearance, but because the late runner was always going to find it difficult when the three pace factors didn't bother to slow down enough. Nevertheless, the Sadler pupil made up nearly two lengths in the final furlong -- rattling off his eighth in roughly :11 4/5 -- to go down by all of a half-length. It's arguable that the mare VENTURA (Chester House), who was scratched on raceday with a foot problem, may have finished a trifle faster at her best, but even she might have found it tough when the speed was holding up so well. Whatsthescript should relish the extra furlong available to him in the July 4 American H. (G2), should he aim to defend his title in the nine-furlong affair. Thorn Song is expected to be in action on Independence Day at Churchill Downs, where he will mount a title defense in the Firecracker H. (G2). Two recent allowance/optional claiming winners over the course could line up to dethrone him. Multiple Grade 2 star TIZDEJAVU (Tiznow), who made a successful return from surgery in a May 17 event, is definitely aiming for the Firecracker. Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial H. (G2) near-misser EL CABALLO (El Corredor) landed a stakes-quality affair in a photo-finish on Sunday, a race that smacks of a Firecracker prep. All jazzed up: Thorn Song may have been fortunate that MONTEREY JAZZ (Thunderello) turned up in a May 24 allowance, and not the Shoemaker the next day, for the Craig Dollase charge scorched Hollywood's mile in a new course record of 1:32.59. Admittedly, it's a different dynamic when a front runner sprints to a huge lead, gets emboldened, and proceeds to post a sensational time. Monterey Jazz did not have the likes of Hyperbaric or Storm Military nipping at his heels, and in the Grade 1 crucible of the Shoemaker, he may not have been able to turn in the same monstrous effort. In any event, one had to be seriously impressed by his ability to quicken off fractions that were very similar to those carved out by Thorn Song. Monterey Jazz's opening splits were :23.63, :46.22 and 1:09.04, compared to Thorn Song's :23.48, :46.06 and 1:09.25. While Thorn Song kept on through seven furlongs in 1:21.19 and finished the mile in 1:33.33, Monterey Jazz managed to throw in a pair of sub-12 second furlongs at the end -- sizzling seven in 1:20.67 prior to clocking the mile in 1:32.59. It was great to see a horse who had shown so much talent in the past -- witness his stunning romps in last year's Strub S. (G2) and Texas Mile (G3) -- finally regain his form after sustaining an injury. Monterey Jazz is a triple-surface threat with an array of options before him, but according to Daily Racing Form, he may stay on turf next time for the American. Solid return: Grade 1 hero DANCING FOREVER (Rahy), last seen finishing best of our Americans when third in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), kicked off 2009 with a rallying third in a May 31 allowance/optional claimer at Belmont. It's just as well that the Phipps homebred had not gotten started sooner, or attempted to defend his title in the Manhattan, for the ground would have been totally against him that day. Virtually a 1 1/16-mile workout in race conditions, this was just the right kind of reappearance to sharpen him up and help him move forward. The Shug McGaughey charge was unhurried early, cantering along last of seven behind a slow pace, and exploded late against a decent group. Dancing Forever is now eyeing the July 11 Man o' War S. (G1), and beyond that, possibly the August 8 Arlington Million (G1). On the march: The Phipps/McGaughey team has another top-tier prospect in PARADING (Pulpit), who made the most of an ideal trip to take the May 16 Dixie S. (G2) at Pimlico. After tracking in the garden spot, the exquisitely-bred chestnut surged past the pacesetter in midstretch and held on from the flying JUST AS WELL (A.P. Indy) by a half-length. Just as Well had run a nearly identical race when second to KIP DEVILLE (Kipling) in the Gulfstream Park Turf H. (G1) earlier this season, and he apparently needs that ninth furlong to do his best work. Like Dancing Forever, who blossomed last season, the six-year-old Parading is a late developer just reaching career-best form. He is at least as good on synthetic, having skewered the field by 7 1/2 lengths in the Ben Ali S. (G3) at Keeneland two starts ago, and will probably revert to synthetic for the July 11 Hollywood Gold Cup (G1). Parading's form hovered over the May 24 Connaught Cup (Can-G3) at Woodbine. STERWINS (Runaway Groom), fifth as the defending champion in the Ben Ali, got up to deny Canadian champion turf horse RAHY'S ATTORNEY (Crown Attorney) by a head in course-record time, blazing 1 1/16 miles in 1:38.99. The third-place finisher, SOCIETY'S CHAIRMAN (Not Impossible [Ire]), had beaten Parading by a nose in a Keeneland turf allowance in April, Parading's first race back off an 11-month layoff. Rahy's Attorney, who had not raced since his creditable ninth in the Mile Championship (Jpn-G1) at Kyoto, did everything right but win. The Sovereign Award winner was in command throughout, and when he began to tire in the last furlong, he dug down deep and forced Sterwins to pull out all the stops. Rahy's Attorney was also spotting him five pounds as the 126-pound highweight. The top two are scheduled to renew their rivalry in the June 27 King Edward S. (Can-G2). Overdue breakthrough: But for a tough disqualification in the Bryan Station S. (G3) at Keeneland last October, SEASPEAK (Mizzen Mast) would have already ranked as a graded stakes winner. The Ralph Nicks charge set the record straight with a power-packed, 4 3/4-length romp in the Dallas Turf Cup H. (G3) on Memorial Day. Seaspeak was by far the class of the field, and he had the added advantage of being lapped onto a ridiculously slow pace at Lone Star. Still, he stretched clear in dynamic fashion through the stretch, hinting that there is more to come from this lightly-raced four-year-old. Out of a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Cetewayo (His Majesty), and reigning Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) queen Dynaforce (Dynaformer), Seaspeak is ready to take his chance at a higher level. Elder statesmen pack a punch: Two venerable senior citizens will make their presence felt this season. The ever-popular BRASS HAT (Prized), who has made remarkable comebacks from serious injuries over the course of his career, racked up his first win on turf in the May 23 Louisville H. (G3) at Churchill. The eight-year-old collared SPICE ROUTE (GB) (King's Best) late by a half-length, turning the form from the Elkhorn S. (G2) upside down. The Louisville unfolded very differently from the Elkhorn at Keeneland, where Brass Hat was far back through a dawdling tempo and wound up a non-threatening third to Spice Route. A much faster pace ensued in the Louisville, courtesy of the runaway leader THABAZIMBI (Empire Maker), and Brass Hat lay in midpack, just off Spice Route. Those two factors combined to help Brass Hat turn the tables. The Buff Bradley veteran could tackle the July 4 United Nations S. (G1) at Monmouth. At Arlington Park this past Saturday, the nine-year-old SILVERFOOT (With Approval) made a winning 2009 debut when getting up in time in the 1 1/8-mile The Tin Man S. This was considerably shorter than the eminence grise wants to go, suggesting that he's in great form and should continue to acquit himself well for Dallas Stewart. Sophomore scramble: Usually by this time the three-year-olds have begun to sort themselves out, but a couple of developments have hindered the process this season. The well-bred STORMALORY (Storm Cat) captured one of the most significant early-season events, the April 3 Transylvania S. (G3) at Keeneland, but sadly suffered a fatal injury in the May 1 American Turf S. (G3). In a further shake-up in the American Turf, ORTHODOX (Pulpit), who had retreated to finish last in the Transylvania, put forth a much improved effort to spring a 45-1 upset. The longest shot on the board benefited from a tactically astute ride by Jon Court, who made sure that he stayed within hailing distance of the steady pace on Churchill's rain-affected turf, and got first run on the California shipper BATTLE OF HASTINGS (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]). Orthodox held a four-length advantage over Battle of Hastings in the early going, and the invader did well to whittle that down to three-quarters of a length at the wire. Battle of Hastings, who had previously landed the March 1 Baldwin S. (G3) and the April 11 La Puente S., figures to regain the winning thread on his home turf. Another typically salient race, last Friday's Hill Prince S. at Belmont, was a victim of the heavy rains that forced it onto the main track. The highly regarded Woodlawn S. hero AFFIRMATIF (Unbridled's Song) didn't perform badly when finishing a distant second to Despite the Odds (Speightstown) in the slop, yet that tells us nothing about how he's progressing on the grass. Furthermore, several likely contenders were scratched, including Transylvania third FLORENTINO (Jpn) (Swept Overboard), a Darley-owned three-quarter brother to the brilliant but ill-fated Japanese filly Rhein Kraft (End Sweep). Formlines linking the American Turf, along with Stormalory and Affirmatif, converged in the May 23 Arlington Classic S., lending some weight to its usefulness as a barometer. Erstwhile Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful GIANT OAK (Giant's Causeway) uncorked a strong late run, making up a three-length deficit inside the final furlong and going on to score by a length from NO INFLATION (Repriced). Also finishing with energy was EL CRESPO (A.P. Indy), who was last at the six-furlong mark but got up for third. El Crespo, who had beaten Stormalory in the March 14 Palm Beach S. (G3), would have been better served by a faster pace. The Rusty Arnold pupil has thrown in clunkers on dirt and synthetic, but he has never been unplaced on the turf, and the well-related colt bears watching. Two others ran below their best in the Arlington Classic. GOLDEN MEXICO (Ire) (Daggers Drawn), who had defeated Affirmatif at Keeneland, tore off to a four-length early lead instead of adopting his usual stalking tactics, and wound up weakening to fourth. Orthodox, a maddeningly inconsistent type in defiance of his orderly name, essentially lost all chance when he stumbled at the break. Giant Oak was leveling off beautifully on the grass at Arlington, a surface that he had not tested since his juvenile days. His dirt form wasn't bad -- especially his runner-up effort to Derby and Preakness (G1) third Musket Man (Yonaguska) in the Illinois Derby (G2) two back -- but the turf looks like his natural habitat. Trainer Chris Block, and the colt's owner/breeder, the Virginia H. Tarra Trust, deserve plaudits for being immune to Derby fever, and placing Giant Oak to best effect. The Illinois-bred looms as a prime player in the remaining legs of the Mid-America Triple, the July 11 American Derby (G2) and the August 8 Secretariat S. (G1), where he will face sterner challenges. One three-year-old stealthily climbing the ranks is SLEEPLESS KNIGHT (War Chant), who extended his record to two-for-three in the May 25 Lamplighter S. at Monmouth Park. The Kelly Breen pupil dismissed a useful type in the multiple stakes-winning TAMBORIM (Belong to Me) from the Bill Mott barn, rattling off 1 1/16 miles in 1:41 1/5. One who is not stealthy in the least, but has been under the glare of publicity from birth, is NICANOR (Dynaformer). As just about everyone in North America, and many around the world, know, the full brother to Barbaro romped by 15 1/4 lengths in his turf debut on May 13 at Delaware Park. Like his famous sibling, Nicanor is a Lael Stables homebred trained by Michael Matz. Nicanor could not have looked any better in his maiden-breaking rout, and although he'll be tested for class in his future endeavors, he'll likely prove that he belongs in stakes company before long. On the horizon: Our next issue will recap Kip Deville's title defense in Sunday's Poker H. (G3), as well as the stakes action through July 4 weekend, and look ahead to the Man o' War and Arlington Million Preview Day on July 11.
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